Insulating building material



7 Feb. 19,' 1929.

l 1,702,776 F. D. HAZEN Er AL l INSULATING BUILDING MATERIAL Filed Nov. 9, 1927 Patente-cl F eb. 19, 1929.

U1-1f1r1111 '-STMESFw PATENT ferrie E'. v

rmrnirn; Hennie or' PITTSBURGH; AND JOHN H. ANTILL, or frrrusvlriLn,v f minnsxrivnnm, f I

INSULATLNG BUILDING Marnier-ALL Appneaticii filed noveiber! 9, 19,27. semina. 232,029.

his ii'iventiony relates lto improvements inV insulating building material; and' inoreprfir-y ticularly to a materialil adapted' tofbe inv corpora ed infoundations vand building walls for the 'purpose otretarding the vpenetration olf moisture and heat. l

The object ofthe invention is tofprovide f an insulating; material'consisting chieiiy oi relatively inexpensii'fe` substance treated to.

Figui-e 2 is a View in vertical section through the wall as taken on line 2520i` Figure 3 is a perspective view of a single block of the insulating material. f

, The material consists in generalof straw or like librous inaterial pressed into the forni oi blocks or slabs and assuming a permanent and l stable forni by impregnating the inass with a suitable binder. The blocks niaybe niade in different sizes, although preferablyoi. a thickness of ronithree to four inches and of a length and width for convenient handling, as 'for inst-ance, :two feet by one foot.`

Y Straw isperliaps Athe niost satisfactory substance to use in the inaking of the' iiiateiiial,

as it is very'inexpensive and oi coarsetextui-e suitable 'for the purjmse.V Any satisfactory binder may be used, such as thccoii'iinon itorins olf anunalor inineral glues ingeneral use;` The inetliodoil making thesebl che or slabs is to saturate the straw withthe blinder in a liquidand compress it'into the forni of relatively solid blocks l bynieans'of afvsuit i able press designed for the purpo'se,tlie niatefV rialbeing then` allowed to dry and harden.

f For ordinary purposes any substance'haviiig adhesive and binding qualities could be used,

although where it is desired to make the nia-` Vteiial waterproof', binders having this prop.

ertyvcanfbe usedpsuch as tuin andthe like. j I

lhese blocks orvsl'abs are furthermore provided with series ofholes l extending trans-v y versely therethrough and of a relatively small diainetergas for instance, one inch. kArsshown waterfrlass as hali c. 2

in Figure 3, these*` holes A are arranged in'rows,

` core before the concrete is poured.

althoughlthey maybe distributedfinfany sired manner.V vThese holes lcan be `ftlnifnoed either by rmeans ot cores inthe press' .in which the blocks are iliade or cut in the blocks `after Y they are released troni the press@ The purpose oilthese holesV will presently appear..

lt is also iireierrcd to provide theublook with connecting ineinbers in tiie forni of thin roe sv or lengths ofwire 2', which "are'inserted diagonally 'through the block troni one side near one longitu,dinal'y edge through tothe O positeface andoppositeedge. These refs, moreover,- are used in pairs lspaced[mwa'rdly a fixed distance troni each endofi'the block",VV

v each pair crossiiigeach other atthe center of'- the blocl. KVVThe ends ofriitliese rods-1` project a sh'ortldstance vfrom the body Of'lftlie block; theen'ds adjacent follie; 'eddie being looped] as Figures l and 2 show the manner in which these blocks, are used inthe formationofa corein a concrete,foundation` wall A. The forms into which the' concrete' is poured are .erected inthe usual manner andwithin this forni is erected a thin wall ofthese insulating blocksB with substantially equall spaceson each side for theconcrete In erectingthis wall, the blocks arelaid edgewisein courses,V

as in laying bricks7 the vertical joints in each course being broken by locating the abutting ends ofthe blocks yin one course midway be- 'tweenthe end joints of the blocks in they ad# jacent course.V Inthis way the fastening rods which are preferablyV spaced inwardlyfroni the jointsa distance equal to one-ourthof.

'the lengthjfwill registerwith each other and v,theireiids' l'astened togetherby inserting the straight end throughthe' looped end ol the adjacentrod, Vthus securing the blocks together into a relatively substantia'lwall. The e concrete is then poured'iiito the spaces separated by the core thus forming two wall sections A and A? onopposite sidesof the core.

The'concrete when poured7 flows through the i holes in the core thus connecting the two wall sections A and A2 together by aaplurality of! cylindric tie frmembers C acting to brace the wall sections In the event y.that tie rods Vare` used in the construction of the'y wall, they wouldbe inserted through the holes in the Y The in sulatingrblocks l are obviously ini.:-

layer tov retard penetration of heat `through the Walls, andin that Way reduce'tlie condensation of moisture, or sweating as it is termed, on the inside of foundation and like Walls.

The advantages in the use of this material reside in the ability to obtain practical insulation in a concretewall at a very low cost, and being completely enclosed by the concrete does not increase the tire hazard. Moreover, it Will last indefinitely, particularly it the binder used has preservative qualit-ies.

Indisclosing our invention, We do not Wish to be'limited to any specific composition oit the material inasmuch as different substances having like characteristics might be found to be equally practical.

1We claim as our invention: Y

l. An .insulating material 'for the purpose described, consisting of blocks made ot compressed straw impregnated With a binding substance and provided With openings eX- tending transversely therethrough, andvrods passing through said blocks and having free end portions protruding adjacent opposite edges thereof. y

2. An insulating material for the purpose described consisting of straw or like iibrous substance, pressed into block form and treated with a suitable binder, said blocks are adapted to be laid 1n superimposed roivs, and having Wire rods extending diagonally therethrough .from top to bottom and adapted to be connected at their adj aeent free ends.

V3. An insulating material for the purpose described consisting olil molded blocks, and fastening members extending through said blocks from one side to the other with their ends protruding on opposite sides and adja` cent opposite edges for the attachment et adjacent blocks together. Y l Y l. An insulating inaterialfor thevpurpose described, consisting of a mass of brou's'niad terial saturated withv a Waterproofing binder and compressed into block forni, said block having relatively llexible members extending therethrough With their ends protruding ad jacent opposite edges, whereby said block may be secured to theblocks in adjacent rows in the construction of a Wall.

Signed at Pittsburgh this 3rd day of No4 veinber, 1927.

Signed at Pittsburgh this'Brd day ot November,1927. i a i JOHN ii. amrifnii.l

FRANK n. Hannie i 

